7 Travel Beauty Tips

By Michele Koh Morollo

Travelling is stressful business. Jetlag, together with the lack of access to showers, hairdryers, and your regular beauty products might leave you looking a little sallow and less glamorous than usual in transit. Air travel restrictions that permit no more than three ounces of liquids on board aircrafts means an even bigger compromise on your skin care regime, so it’s essential that you pack wisely. Whether you’re traveling by plane, train, boat or car, these beauty tips will help you to look fresh and stunning while travelling, at the transit lounge and when you arrive at your destination.

1. Always Keep Skin Clean
If you can only bring one skin care item from home, it should be your facial cleanser. You can always purchase moisturizers or toners at duty-free shops, but it’s best to stick to a cleanser that you know agrees with your skin to avoid breakouts or a sensitivity rash. If you’re using make-up, get pre-moistened makeup remover towelettes from brands like Neutrogena or Mac and make sure you remove your makeup before going to sleep. 

2. Moisturize
Keeping your skin moisturized is important, particularly on long haul, overnight flights where cabin pressure causes dehydration. Before going to bed, apply an intense moisturizer and don’t forget to moisturize your neck too. You might find that your hands get especially dry, more so if you use harsh soap detergents in the airplane lavatories. So make sure you carry a tube of hand cream that you can use liberally throughout your journey.

3. Blot Out Greasy Skin
When traveling on a boat or in places with high humidity, your skin will get oily a lot quicker. To get rid of shine and keep your skin fresh and matted, bring along blotting papers and dab your “T” zone whenever your skin starts to get greasy. Johnson & Johnson’s Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheet, available at most airport pharmacies is a good choice.

4. Apply Lip Balm
Due to heat or air-conditioning, lips are particularly prone to chapping and cracking when traveling. Always carry a lip balm on you and use when needed. If you are traveling on boat or bus, where there will be sun exposure, get a lip balm with sun block in it.

5. Keep Your Eyes Bright
Reading with a nightlight or watching in-flight movies on a small screen can tire your eyes out. To avoid arriving at your destination with blood-shot eyes and dark rings, bring along some eye drops to soothe and lubricate your eyes. Rubbing ice cubes under and around your eyes will help to decrease puffiness.

6. Terrific Tresses
To combat static caused by cabin pressure, apply some leave-in conditioner before you leave home and then tie your hair up a scarf during your flight. This will keep overly dry and frizzy hair tamed and moisturized while you fly. If you have oily scalp and limp hair, use hair powders like Osis Dust It from Schwarzkopf to lesson greasy limpness and create more volume. Don’t use synthetic hairbrushes, as these will only increase the effect of static electricity on your hair. Instead use a natural fibre brush or a boar bristle brush from Mason Pearson.

7. Make Up Smart
It’s best to travel without make-up so your skin can breathe. If you must use make-up, skip liquid or cake foundation and just apply some loose powder over your moisturizer. If you have to use foundation, celebrity make-up artist A.J. Crimson suggests that you use a silicone-based liquid or cream primer first so there is a layer or protection between your skin and the foundation. A make-up corrector stick will help hide blemishes and dark circles under the eyes. Before touching up your make-up, spritz some mineral water mist on your skin and dab on a little moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated between applications. Make sure you’ve washed your hands with antibacterial soap before applying or reapplying make-up.

Make sure all your liquids, creams, gels and pastes come in containers of no more than three ounces.

Also crucial to looking good is a good night’s sleep and plenty of water, so be sure to get enough shut eye and fluids on your journey. A beret or spiffy hat and a pair of stylish sunglasses are good tricks to hide flat hair or sleepy eyes when you arrive.